D.H. Lescombes Winery & Bistro

After being impacted by COVID-19, New Mexico’s D. H. Lescombes Winery and Bistro quickly realized  takeout and delivery options wouldn’t be enough to keep business going. The restaurant adapted its business model to also sell groceries, resulting in a twenty-fold increase in quarantine restaurant sales.

D.H. Lescombes was one of the area’s first restaurants to make this shift in business. Director of Bistro Operations Wayne Moore immediately recognized the chaotic scene at local grocery stores and wanted to offer customers an alternative option, while simultaneously giving D. H. Lescombes a new revenue stream.

Moore collaborates with Shamrock Foods to identify the approximately 30 daily grocery offerings. When Shamrock had a sale on brisket, Moore was quick to purchase that and add it to the restaurant’s grocery offerings. Ribeye and shrimp by the pound have also done extremely well.

But it’s not just about selling the grocery items. As Moore explained, D.H. Lescombes is in the “hospitality business, not the customer service business.” So, when guests pull up to pick up their grocery orders, preparation tips are also provided. Chefs are happy to come out and talk to guests about how to cook the selected center of the plate item. They also add in special touches like a ramekin of garlic butter, steak seasoning and rosemary when Ribeye is purchased.

It’s not a one and done job to identify the daily grocery list. There are days when the 10 a.m. available grocery list looks quite different at 4 p.m. and Shamrock works with Moore to effectively communicate what’s in stock.  Moore used the metaphor that the restaurant is a jet boat compared to a luxury liner, with the ability to adapt on a dime whether it be menu items or their communication to guests, which includes Facebook videos to help share the latest news.

In addition to adding grocery items, the restaurants trimmed menus by 75% to maximize efficiencies, are offering a 50% discount to first responders, 20%-off of 12 packs of wine, and daily family meal deals such as lasagna, chicken parmesan and fish fry.

When asked about Shamrock Foods role in all of the recent transitions, Moore applauds Shamrock for its “good people, right culture and right leadership.” He explains that the communication is incredible, but that didn’t just start in the midst of the crisis; rather, that’s what his Shamrock Foods Sales Representatives including Krystal Burrow and Rodney Barton have been doing all along.

Moore’s advice to other operators is simple: Keep finding ways to do what you do best. “If you’re a business with integrity and that’s who you’ve been, you’ll get through this.”